The Sprout
Issue 117, May 2017
Contents
3 West Way re-phased
7 Janet Godden bows out
9 Max von Seibold
11 The Magic of Pub Signs
17 Botley Patients Group
21 Parish Council update
22 West Oxford Artweeks
25 Botley Bridges
27 Planning Apps
29 Police news
31 Brownies Tackle Crime again
35 Randoms
43 Local Organizations
From the Editor
What’s happening in Botley this month? County Council elections on 4th
May, and we will be very sorry to lose Cllr Godden, who after 34 years has
decided it’s time to hang up her hat (p7). Thanks for all the time and care
you’ve spent on our patch, Janet. Around the same time, we hope, Mace
will have a public event to show us their revised timetable for redeveloping
the shopping centre. WWCC have given a full account (p3) but we need to
see the plans. West Oxford Artweeks will be from 20th to 29th May, and
there’s plenty to see locally (map on p23).
Botley Bridges has now opened its doors to the under-fives in the place of
our children’s centre (p 25). They are still looking for an administrator, so
if this could be you, do get in touch. If you’d like to get back to work but
need a bit of encouragement, the WEA are running a local course during
school hours (p41). Some of you will have recognized the signboard of the
Fair Rosamund, Elms Rise’s former pub, on the front cover. It heralds an
article on Inn Signs inspired by the U3A talk in March. Current talks are
listed in the Diary section. No plans as yet for a Botley Fete this year,
although rumours abound, but there will be a Family Fun Day and 10K Fun
Run up on the Louie Memorial Field on 20th May, raising money for the
Adventure Scouts, which looks set to be an enjoyable day out. Lots going
on then, and it’s all here in the Sprout!
Ag MacKeith
West Way redevelopment re-phased
On Monday 10th April, Mace held a Community Liaison Group (CLG)
meeting in St. Peter & St. Paul Church with about 30 representatives from
local community groups. As well as WWCC committee members there
were representatives from North Hinksey Parish Council, the District and
County Council, the Association of Botley Communities, local
businesses, Churches, the Neighbourhood Plan, Elms Parade, and other
residents who had requested to attend. This was not a full public meeting
– it was meant to reach representatives of groups who could pass on
information to the wider community – but a public meeting on the changes
to phasing was mentioned by Mace so look out for a date.
You may have read in the local press that Mace are proposing a reversal
of the phasing for the redevelopment of West Way shopping centre. This
was confirmed at the meeting with some more details and diagrams. The
proposed new phasing would see the central shopping area demolished
in July with temporary accommodation for 12 months for Co-op, Tesco,
Lloyds Pharmacy, Seacourt Hall, Baptist Church and up to four other
facilities. The temporary units would be in the Elms Court and Grant
Thornton buildings on the North East corner and four remaining shops
opposite the Library, which stays in place.
Timeline
The rough timeline would be:
End April: change of use application for temporary space submitted
and six weeks consultation – this is when a public meeting will be
held.
Up to June: Changes to highways to add a left turn in and out of the
Oxford end of Elms Parade to allow for traffic to temporary shops.
End June 2017: central shopping area closes, Co-op, Tesco, Lloyds
open in temporary facilities.
July 2017: demolition starts
c. Summer 2018: new Co-op and Tesco open
c. Oct 2018: community building opens
end 2018: central shops and some academic flats completed
end 2019: hotel, academic and some other residential flats completed
Q1 2020: final completion with all residential units in place.
The reasons given for the change were: car parking, logistics and utilities
– the practicalities of keeping parking spaces available during works,
building from the inside to the outside of the site, and the location of the
electricity supply. Mace and their building contractors said that the
original plan of knocking down the corner first and keeping shops open
would take 5.5 years rather than 3.5 years. This was presented as
saving a year but in fact the whole scheme will still take 3.5 years as
originally outlined in the application approved in June 2016.
What does this mean for us?
Some local businesses including Café Aloha and Hair Therapy have
confirmed they will not be moving to temporary units and will close before
the end of June. Others are still in discussions. WWCC feel that a café
is an important part of continued services, not only to feed residents and
construction workers but also as a social meeting place. If no commercial
café takes a temporary space we have raised the idea of a community
café partnering with a social enterprise and possibly Branches Youth
Café.
What about local jobs?
A representative of Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP)
spoke at the CLG about the community employment plan that is a
planning condition and focuses on apprenticeships, work experience, and
getting people back into work. When asked what help can be provided to
those currently employed in the centre who may be facing redundancy
there was mention of a “pipeline” to the new Westgate development and
highlighting the need at the Job Centre. We are trying to get more details
so please contact us on westwayconcern@gmail.com for more
information.
What about parking?
There will be 43 parking spaces around the temporary supermarkets and
a warden will patrol to prevent long stays. Construction workers will use
the Park & Ride and be transported to the site, they will not be permitted
to park on residential streets.
There were a lot of questions on the details of the temporary move so the
public exhibition is really needed. Mace have a phasing update leaflet on
their website at www.westwayconsultation.co.uk/consultation Look out for
an announcement about their public meeting/exhibition. Please also
keep an eye on our website www.westwayconcern.wordpress.com, and
social media for updates: www.facebook.com/westwayconcern.
Lorna Berrett, co-chair, WWCC
Councillor Godden bows out
Breaking up is hard to do ... for me
anyway. But I've been the county
councillor for North Hinksey for 24
years, and it's time to stop – good
heavens that's almost a quarter of a
century! People tell me that I've served
my turn, I've hoed my row, but that isn't
how I look at it at all. It's been a great
honour to represent Botley on
Oxfordshire County Council, and to
work with North Hinksey Parish Council
and my colleagues on the Vale District
Council. These few lines are just to say
thank you to the many Botley residents who have supported me over this
time.
The work has been always interesting, often rewarding, as often
challenging because of the constant reductions in local government
funding, but always at its centre such a warm community, full of
enterprise.
Difficult times still lie ahead. Led by West Way Community Concern we
fought tooth and nail, but were unable to prevent the imposition of
commercial development in West Way far in excess of what was wanted
or needed. Now we're faced with a good three years of serious disruption.
Part of me feels a bit mean to stand down when so much is uncertain, but
I have great confidence in all the initiatives that have been launched in
the past few years. First we had the successful, much loved and fearless
Sprout, then came the well-designed and informative Community
Website, and now the ambitious Neighbourhood Plan, building on the
more modest Parish Plan of a few years ago, and most recently the new
Association for Botley Communities, melding us together in trying times.
I shall be watching from the back row, and I wish all our community
organisations well in the months and years to come. Only the best for
Botley. How lucky we are to live here.
Thank you once more for your support. Janet Godden
[The picture shows Janet in February 2011 campaigning to Save Botley
Library, one of the many, many campaigns around local services she’s
supported during her time in office. Thank you, Janet, you’ll be missed! Ed]
Max von Seibold – an Oxford Photographer
The latest local photographic exhibition is an intriguing mix of the English
countryside, portraits and cats. Pop in to St Peter and St Paul's Church
in Botley to admire and enjoy this eclectic compilation, opening on
Monday 8 May 2017 This is how the subject describes himself:
“I am a photographer from Oxford who started out as an amateur,
progressed to taking photos professionally in London for an international
branding agency and then returned blissfully back to being an amateur
again. Having put my toe in the water of taking photos for a living, I now
love being able to take images of whatever I like.
“I enjoy photography as a
pastime, because it allows
me to explore aspects of
life and reality which
intrigue me: namely the
seasons, the essence and
ambiance of space, and
places which make life
feel strange and different.
Interspersed with these
somewhat pretentious
ambitions are numerous
photographs of cats, the
sky, and often my long suffering colleagues, who tolerate me at best.
“I have a professional background in architectural photography;
occasionally I am even allowed to do the odd wedding and I also like
taking photographs from my drone (yes I have a licence – and insurance
– which needs renewing quite soon).
“Typically I am to be found roaming fields in the English countryside,
tracking down old stone circles, abandoned nuclear bunkers or derelict
buildings and peering at them earnestly before sloping off to a nearby pub
to review what I have shot. Sometimes even poetry occurs.
“I shoot digital, but adore my Nikon FM-2 film camera. I love cats and
science fiction. You can reach me on Maxvonseibold@gmail.com”
Jennie Hopkins
The Magic of Pub Signs
The Sprout has been promoting U3A’s Monday afternoon talks for so
long, I thought it was time to sample one. I’ve long been interested in pub
signs, so Angela Panrucker’s talk on 13th March was my choice. It was
worth it just to learn of the existence of the Inn Sign Society (website:
http://www.innsignsociety.com) of which Angela is an enthusiastic
member. So far she has taken 8,000 photos of pub signs, and she
showed us 150 of them, vividly illustrating a talk which covered the
origins, history, provenance and regulatory laws of this lively remnant of
English folk art.
The earliest locals were alehouses, where the householder (or more
often his wife) brewed the beer and sold it in their front room. The Black
Horse in Botley (between the
George (now Richer Sounds)
and the Carpenter’s Arms
(now McDonalds)) seems to
have been a late example of
this, though Fanny Hancox,
the landlady, didn’t brew the
beer herself as far as we know.
It had the one room at the
front, with games to play that
were ostentatiously removed
at the end of Saturday evening
(they would be out of play on
Sundays), and a doormat that
was wedged up against the
invitingly open door at closing
time. It was very much the
landlady’s own domain.
Black Horse, Old Botley (closed in 1968)
The next locals were the Inns, part of the charity of the great religious
houses. These were expected to provide travellers with food and bed,
and those on pilgrim routes made a business of it, providing hostels for
pilgrims – the origin of the jocular ‘hostelry’ still in use as a word for a pub.
Top of the tree was the ‘tavern’ which only sold wine, though not exactly
as we know it, with names like ‘sack’ and ‘malmsy’. Our modern pubs are
an amalgam of all three.
Pub signs started as a bush or a bunch of
grapes put up over the door. Then in 1393
Richard II passed a law requiring all pubs
to show a sign, so that the official
regulators could test the ales, and the
result was a flurry of White Harts – the
royal badge. In fact, the signs of our oldest
pubs tended to fall into three categories:
heraldic, religious and monarchic. Of
heraldic signs the Red Lion (John of
Gaunt) and the Blue Boar (Richard III) are
early examples. The Bear and Ragged
Staff was the emblem of the Earl of
Warwick, and it was also used to tell
people that there would be bear-baiting there. (The Chequer Board or
Chequers told you to expect gambling. The Bird in Hand, although its
origin is in falconry, had become shorthand for ‘don’t expect credit here’
by the 19th Century.)
The second theme was religious, reflecting the concerns of those early
Inns. So we find the Seven Stars (stars round the Virgin Mary’s halo), the
Bull (papal ‘bull’ or proclamation) and the Catherine Wheel (St Catherine
and the wheel she was martyred on). With the suppression of the
monasteries under Henry VIII, the signs were reimagined without their
religious meaning, so now we have the Seven Stars as the Plough, the
Bull as a beast, and the Catherine Wheel modified to the Cat and Wheel.
Thirdly there were royal signs, of which the most popular king is still Henry
VIII and queen is Elizabeth I. After Victoria a law was passed forbidding
the representation of living monarchs on pub signs. It’s not hard to guess
what might have prompted this! It is still extant, and continues to be
flouted, as anyone will know who has walked down Little Clarendon
Street and looked up at the Duke (not long ago the Duke of Cambridge,
and still showing the present incumbent). Angela flashed up a modern
example of a Rose and Crown sign showing Kate Middleton as the Rose
and Prince William wearing the crown at their wedding, and she showed
several examples of signs mocking Prince Charles in a friendly way.
More recent signs show a rich and wide variety of subjects, from famous
people to transport, to historic events, to sporting achievements, to the
natural world. We still love puns (the Flower Pot refers to the flowing ale
– think of the Flowing Well at Sunningwell), and she showed us a
charming sign from the Amble Inn, illustrated by Henry VIII making eyes
at this second wife. Come to think of it, even modern names like the Slug
and Lettuce are a kind of jokey reference to obscure traditional names
like the Pig and Whistle.
Botley’s earliest local pub – long gone – seems to have been the Crown
alehouse at No 4 North Hinksey Lane, Old Botley, still lived in but
currently under threat of demolition. It was on record in the 1660s as the
home of Thomas Wright, and was used by Oxford students of the day,
as, being in Berks, it was outside the jurisdiction of the University. The
George and the Carpenter’s Arms reflected the making of the Botley
Causeway in the middle of the 18th Century, and Old Botley’s local
sawmill, which survived until some ten years ago. Up on Elms Rise was
the Fair Rosamund, built as a focus for the estate
in the 60s, but demolished to make way for more
houses at the turn of the 21st Century, in the
teeth of local protest. Now our only surviving pub
is the very popular Seacourt Bridge – a strange
name when you think about it, which may refer
to the stream which flowed along the front of
Elms Parade.
Pub signs are still being painted, usually funded
by the breweries, some of which maintain a team
of artists. Angela didn’t show examples of the
pitiful modern fashion for understatement –
some kind of computer-generated hint at the
name, a cog, for example, to suggest a Catherine Wheel – discreetly
painted in pale green on cream. But she did feel that they ought to be
recorded as part of our cultural heritage. The pendulum can’t swing back
to something more colourful fast enough for me!
Neither did she mention that pubs are still disappearing at the rate of 20
a week, for all kinds of reasons to do with the way we live now. Meeting
places where social interaction is lubricated by booze will always have a
place, though, and here in Botley it’s interesting to watch the growing
popularity of the Social Tap, the new micro-brewery in Curtis’s Yard, a
shadowy warehouse space that is now simply buzzing on a Friday night.
Ag MacKeith
U3A talks are always advertised in the Diary on the back cover and are
open to all for a small sum. Members go free.
Patient Participation Group news
Following the article published in the April edition, Caroline Jones,
Practice Manager at Botley Medical Centre, reports that the merger of the
Botley and Kennington practices is going to plan.
An important development has been the appointment of a physio-
therapist who started working in the practice on 3rd April. At this stage
he is working part-time, though there may be scope for him to build up
his hours. He will be working at both ends of the practice, i.e. in both
Botley and Kennington. This appointment brings the practice up to full
staffing.
Harry Dickinson, Chairman
The Department of Health has put round the word that “the moment for
self-care has arrived”. Botley PPG is looking specifically at this issue, and
its implications for the practice and for our community. The article below,
by one of our members, is our third on this subject (the views it represents
are those of the PPG, and not necessarily of the practice).
SELF-CARE: a much debated issue
Self-care means taking some responsibility for our own health. It used to
be part and parcel of our behaviour but we have become more and more
reliant on medical care. It starts with making decisions about our lifestyle,
choosing to eat healthily and to exercise, and extends to using home
remedies or over-the-counter medicines when we have common ailments
such as sore throat, coughs and back pain. It also means seeking
professional medical help when needed.
Benefits:
There are two main reasons why self-care is not only necessary but
beneficial:
- First, good self-care practices can help the NHS do a better job
despite increasing demands and limited resources;
- secondly, good self-care can empower people to become better
masters of their own health with long term personal benefits.
Notes from the Self-Care Forum:
“We need a whole-system approach to delivering care, and for this to be
successful there must be an inclusion of opportunities for self-care.”
“If people are empowered with the confidence and information to look
after themselves when they can, and visit their GP when they need to,
they have greater control of their own health and are encouraged to adopt
healthy behaviours that help prevent ill health in the long term.”
“There are still 57 million GP consultations a year for minor ailments at a
total cost to the NHS of £2 billion, which take up on average an hour a
day for every GP.”
Changing behaviour
As well as articles related to self-care in our local magazines, e.g. “Coping
with colds and flu this winter” and “Call on the chemist”, we are also
encouraging Botley Health Walks (see note below). A lot more can be
done. May I suggest you look at the following websites for useful
information on self-care for many minor ailments and much more worth
reading, which you can share with your GP: www.selfcareforum.org and
www.nhs.uk/livewell/Pages/Livewellhub.aspx
What next?
Please ask your Patient Participation Group for more information and
offer suggestions to help us establish good self-care practices, in co-
operation with Botley medical staff. Your input at this crucial stage can
make a difference and we thank you in advance for your valued
participation. You can contact us by writing to the surgery (addressed to
“The PPG”) or email us at botleyppg@gmail.com.
Lyliane Doumèche
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Note on Botley Health Walks
We need a pool of trained walk leaders. An
informal and straightforward training
course has been organised on Sunday
28th May, 10am to 3pm at Dean Court
Community Centre (Register before
15th May). Please join us. You can
contact Lyliane for more information at
doumechehall@hotmail.co.uk
Parish Council update on MACE and more …
Parish Council representatives are continuing to negotiate with MACE on
two fronts. We are aiming to ensure that disruption to the local community
is minimised in line with one of our key objectives, and we are finalising
details of the new community building, and our temporary location for
Seacourt Hall, which for a year from mid-2017 will be an impressively
roomy range of facilities on the 2nd floor of the Grant Thornton building.
MACE’s recently revised plans now include a temporary section of the
site in the north-east corner where Co-op, Tesco, Lloyds Chemist and the
community facilities will be located until they are moved to brand new
homes in late 2018. By the end of 2018 the new car parks will also be in
operation. All works should be completed by the end of 2020. Details of
the new phasing can be found online at http://westwayconsultation.co.uk/
Other recent Parish Council activities include:
Installing a new bus shelter in Lime Road.
Installing our first public defibrillator at the Louie Memorial Pavilion.
Continuing to support the newly established Botley Bridges charity
providing family support services (see page 25).
For further details on all these see http://www.northhinksey-pc.gov.uk
David Kay, chairman, North Hinksey Parish Council
Artweeks in Botley and West Oxford
Now in its 35th year, the annual Oxfordshire festival of the visual arts is
taking place in May. The dates for your attention locally are from 20th to
29th. The main Artweeks catalogue (available from the Library) contains
the opening days and times of each venue.
There are two exhibition venues on the Elms Rise estate, both first time
participants, along with several venues on and around Botley Road. Look
out for the West Oxford Map supplement which details venue locations
and artists, and provides handy 'at a glance' information. (Or use this
Sprout edition!)
Emmett Casley
(Venue 361) takes
buildings and trees
for example, and
through observation,
study, and execution
in pencil drawing and
lino-cut printing,
explores and
develops his
personal relationship
with nature,
architecture and history. His linocut is of a house in Cornwall.
If you've enjoyed the festival in the past then take a look at some new
work, meet some new artists and see Artweeks in a new light. If you'd like
to visit an exhibition for the first time ... do it ... it's free, and who knows
what you might find!! You'll be helping to support Botley’s cultural profile
as we face some challenging changes ahead. AH
Botley Bridges is up and running
Botley Bridges Family Support Service – a charitable company – is now
up and running. Charity status was awarded in March and sessions and
services have now started. The trustees and the steering group have
worked really hard to get to this point – a lot of forms have been filled in!
Both North Hinksey Parish Council and Cumnor Parish Council have
supported the venture with financial support and advice and the trustees
are extremely grateful for this help. The County Council has provided a
start-up grant. Sessions are mainly being held in Botley School in what
was the Children’s Centre room. Please note there is no parking on the
school site.
Coming up
10-week Family Links Parenting Course starts Monday 8th May, 7–9pm
at Dean Court Community Centre, Pinnocks Way. This course is for
everyone and helps parents to create a calm family life and positive
emotional relationships with their children. Cost is £60 to include the
handbook, or £20 if on benefits. Payment can be made in instalments.
Contact details below.
Regular activities
Monday 1.15–3.15 Movers and Shakers – aimed at children under
4 with activities to support children’s development, both physical and
language. The session ends with music and parachute games.
Donation £2 to include snack (50p if on benefits)
Friday 9–11.30 Play and Learn – a group for children 0–4 and their
families, encouraging learning through play with lots of opportunities
for creative and language development. The session ends with music
and parachute games. Cost £2 to include snack (50p if on benefits)
Friday 1.00–3.00 Bump to Baby group – a group which supports
parents and carers in the first year. Weekly topics and singing and a
chance to meet other local families and support each other. Cost £2
(50p if on benefits)
Saturday 10–12pm Play and Learn Sessions for dads and male
carers on the first Saturday of every month
The health visitor also has a weekly clinic on a Wednesday from 1.00–
2.30 and Botley Bridges staff are there to support
In the future
Paediatric First Aid Course – contact Sue Dowe for more information of
dates for this 2-hour course that covers basic first aid for children.
Summer holiday activities will be arranged in local parks and outside
spaces to support families with primary aged children. Keep an eye on
the website for more information.
We are hoping to put on some conversation classes for families who do
not have English as their first language to help them settle into the local
community.
More information on our website www.botleybridges.org or contact the
coordinator coordinator@botleybridges.org , phone 07498 563636
Sue Dowe, interim co-ordinator
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
LOCAL PLANNING APPLICATIONS
P17/V0631/HH
Priorton Vernon Avenue. Re-modelling
of front facade, internal reconfiguration,
partial 2.5 storey extension to rear. New
hard landscaping to rear.
15 March
Target
decision date:
10 May
P17/V0733/PDH
38 Lime Road. Single storey rear
extension and loft conversion Depth:
3.5m Height: 4m Height to eaves: 2.9m.
17 March
TDD: 28 April
P17/V0735/FUL
85 Hurst Rise Road. Demolition of
existing bungalow. Erection of a new
house.
21 March
TDD: 16 May
P17/V0741/HH
The Thatched House Stanton Road.
Demolish existing garage/sheds, rear
extension and porch. Add new rear
extension, new basement, new porch &
first floor extension over existing flat-
roof; new garage. New timber cladding;
replace existing windows.
21 March
TDD: 16 May
P17/V0796/FUL
23 Hutchcomb Road. 2 Storey pitched
roof side extension to form study and
store/ workshop.
27 March
TDD: 22 May
P17/V0876/HH
8 Crabtree Road. Loft conversion and
rear extension.
31 March
TDD: 26 May
P17/V0821/HH
33 Raleigh Park Road. Single storey
extension to front and rear aspect, with
two storey extension to side.
5 April
TDD: 31 May
Police Update
Anti-social behaviour (ASB): There were numerous reports made to us
about two scrambler bikes being driven across the fields behind
Kimmeridge Housing Estate at the top of the Cumnor Hill and across
South Hinksey Golf Course without the land-owner’s permission.
Consequently one of the bikes was seized and we have had no further
reports since. We hope it stays this way.
Offenders brought to justice: A 38-year-old man has been arrested and
charged in connection with a sexual assault in West Way Shopping
Centre. He is due to appear in Court.
Liaison with young people: PCSO Jamie Moya-Flood and PC Keith
Morton arranged for the Botley Brownies to come and visit Abingdon
Police Station. They were shown around the station which included the
CCTV room, control room and demonstration of some of the police
equipment (e.g. enforcer).
Future events: We have started holding monthly “Have Your Say”
meetings at a new location. This is Cumnor Hill House Care Home on
Breeches End, Cumnor Hill. Both residents and the public are welcome
to attend their Thursday coffee
mornings where visitors can find
out more about the facility and
discuss any local concerns with us.
Neighbourhood Team
representatives will attend between
10am and noon (resources
permitting) on 4th May, 1st June
and 29th June.
‘Spring’ into action and secure your
home: Now the fine weather is here
it’s time to think about the security
of your home. Help us keep crime
down and make life harder for
criminals by following our crime
reduction advice:
• Secure access to the back
garden. Are your gates and fences
maintained?
• Consider a time switch for your radio and lights.
• Service your burglar alarm.
• Keep gardening tools locked away.
• Ensure sheds and garages are fully secured.
Contact us If you want to contact the neighbourhood team on these or
any other issues, you can call us on the police non-emergency number
101. If it is an emergency, dial 999. You can also email us on
AbingdonOuterNHPT@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk. (But don’t use this
email address to report crimes or for any urgent matters.) To find out more
about your neighbourhood team visit the Thames Valley Police website
at: www.thamesvalley.police.uk. Receive free local crime alerts and crime
prevention advice by registering at www.thamesvalleyalert.co.uk today.
Once you have signed up, you can choose which updates to receive and
how to receive them.
Your local CPSO team
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Brownies Tackle Crime (again)
The day finally dawned when we had our scheduled visit to Abingdon
Police Station as part of our Crime Prevention badge. ID passes duly
sorted for the leadership team, and 2nd Botley Brownie unit was in behind
closed doors. Firstly, we settled ourselves on some comfy sofas and then
Jamie and Keith (Carl couldn’t make it) started off with a game of Spot
The Difference. Could we spot the differences in uniform between a
PSCO and a PC? Yes, we did a pretty good job and Keith then patiently
explained what each particular difference meant. (We even went as far
as noticing that Jamie (the PCSO) wasn’t wearing a watch whereas Keith
was – quick as a flash Keith made us laugh by saying that was because
Jamie couldn’t tell the time anyway!).
Eventually, out came the handcuffs but our Brownies are nothing if not
prepared and our newly-enrolled Brownie Tessa produced her own
set. Keith was then able to demonstrate the differences between her set
(which was the traditional image of two loops connected by a short chain)
and the Police one (which had no chain but was solid) by slapping them
on Jamie. Keith showed us two ways of putting these on depending on
whether the person is willing or
not. Jamie was not willing so he
had his hands handcuffed behind
his back – TV detective style which
the girls loved. When Keith
unlocked each cuff we could all see
the red marks left behind – Jamie
also said they were
uncomfortable. Yes, of course
Brown Owl wanted a go (the girls
cheered) so Keith was nice to her
and cuffed her with her hands in
front of her; but she also said it was
an uncomfortable experience and was left with red marks on her wrists.
Next our unit was then split into two groups and the first group went off to
see the room full of cameras in various Oxfordshire towns. We each got
to have a go controlling the cameras – panning and zooming in and out
– some of those pavement patterns must be pretty interesting judging by
all the zooming in the girls did. However, the lady who showed us around
even managed to get one Wantage camera to look at another Wantage
camera so that we could see the
camera moving about its pole when we
properly panned around the town
square.
This group then swapped with the first
group to learn about to open doors with
the “big red key”. Confusingly, not only
was it not a key but it was actually red
and yellow. Keith asked us if we had
seen any TV programmes where there
are lots of Police – this clearly got lost in
translation as one girl replied, “Do you
mean murder-mystery-Agatha-Christie-
style?” Smiling, he managed to nod
and say, “Yes, something like that”,
when all along he had clearly been
meaning the fly-on-the-wall Police
documentaries and not Miss Marple with her knitting in one hand and a
very heavy big red key breaking down village front doors! The girls got
to see how heavy the key was and Keith explained when and how it would
be used (see photo).
Next came the riot helmet followed by the
electric riot shield against dogs. The shield
had the girls shouting, “Turn it off” as it was
rather un-nerving with its sparks criss-
crossing the shield like a mis-firing gas
cooker.
Lastly, we had to be completely silent in the
call-handling room where calls from 999 and
101 were actually being dealt with before our
very eyes. However, for the girls the TV
showing rolling news, computer screens,
operators wearing headsets typing away,
digital maps and giant motorway layout
posters were almost (but not quite) as
engaging as the large and beautifully iced chocolate Easter egg sitting
enticingly on the breakout area’s table!
Lucy Howes
Randoms
Cultivate Oxford are looking for someone to join their team as a
Saturday Grocer at their new stop in Botley and help them grow our
community here. The role would involve working between their base in
Little Wittenham and the trading stop in Botley outside St Peter and St
Paul church. £80 per shift. Full, clean driver’s license required. Full
information on their Facebook page called cultivate oxford.
Fun for kids
A new theatre school for kids aged 5+ has started up in West Oxford
Community Centre on Sundays between 1-4.15pm. If you think this would
be a fun way to equip your child with confidence, get in touch with Anneke
Hackmann on 07775 910087 or email her at director@streetstage.co.uk
Thank you so much – you know who you are!
Would it be possible to print a small thankyou in the next Sprout? One
afternoon in late March, we took the
dogs and our little trailer to collect
some logs from Raleigh Park. One
of our dogs ran away, and we
searched and searched for him
without success. A lady who lived in
Raleigh Park Road very kindly took
her own dog home then came back
to help us. We eventually found him
just before dark in the middle of an
enormous bramble patch. We had
to cut him free. We would like to say
a very big thank you to that kind
lady and also to Marcia Marriot – we
are very grateful to you both for
your help. What would we have
done without you!
Alison Hall
New Vets at Hinksey Heights
Hilltop Veterinary Centre are very excited to announce that they have
opened a new purpose-built veterinary centre next to Hinksey Heights
Golf Club. The centre is owned
by a veterinary surgeon and a veterinary nurse who have a passion for
clinical excellence while delivering compassion and care. Pets will find
home-from-home features like a television in the dog ward and a special
cat house in the waiting room where cants can feel safe and secure.
There will be a free Veterinary Consultation for the first 100 registrations
and an ongoing discount scheme called PAW Plan to help spread the
cost of routine pet care. On Saturday 6th May from 11am until 3pm they
are holding a family fun day, profits will go to local animal charities. More
information on their website. Google ‘Hilltop Veterinary Centre Ltd’
Let’s hear it again from the Youth club
Yes ... we're at it again – More
thank yous. This time our
sincere gratitude goes out to a
local sports retailer who has
donated an outdoor table
tennis table to the club. Many
thanks to Mike, the store
manager, for this generosity.
We look forward to making
good use of it in the
forthcoming Summer session.
We are also counting the
sleeps until we can use our
new Tuck Shop Trolley The
plastic drawers on the bottom
unit came from a local DIY store donation. Thanks Gaynor!
Ali Hogg, for the North Hinksey Youth Club team (who are victims of our
own success and need more volunteers urgently!)
HMS Pinafore
Cumnor Choral Society invites you to come and sing the choruses of
Gilbert and Sullivan's HMS Pinafore! There will be four weekly rehearsals
starting on Friday 2nd June, before the performance with Opera
Anywhere on 24th June in SS Peter and Paul, Botley. No acting or voice
tests will be required, just enthusiastic singing! We will rehearse on
Friday evenings from 7.30pm to 9.30pm in St Andrew’s Church, Dean
Court, Botley. This special event only costs singers £10, and this includes
score hire. For more information please contact Chairman Marion Owen
on 01235 533726 or by email marion.owen@mypostoffice.co.uk or
Secretary Rosie Smith on 01865 862139 or by email at
rosie@krs13plus.com
Tennis treats
Would you like to play tennis this summer? Get fit, have fun and make
new friends? Oxford Sports Tennis Club in North Hinksey have lots of fun
opportunities for children and adults to play. To learn more, please email:
tennis@oxfordsportsltc.org or go to our website www.oxfordsportsltc.org
All ages and abilities welcome. There’s a FREE 6-week tennis coaching
course again this year. Available for new players aged 5-8 years old.
Places are limited so book now at: www.lta.org.uk/tennisforkids Then
there’s the Great British Tennis Weekend, also FREE. An open event for
the whole family on Sunday 14th
May, with free play and coaching
sessions for children and adults. To
sign up go to
www.lta.org.uk/GBTW and enter
the club post code OX2 0NA.
‘Olivia’ at North Hinksey
School
On the 6th April Years 3 and 4 did
an amazing production of ‘Olivia’!
Did you know, it's the girl version of
Oliver Twist? Most of the parents
came at 6pm. Olivia (the main part)
was played wonderfully by Ava and
Pippa. The directors were Mrs
Colucci and Miss Horsfall along
with the great help of Mrs Clare and
Vita's mum.
Everyone loved the most exciting effects! Rowan and Harry did the
awesome music and lights. 99% of people were amazed that we could
turn into Victorians (it was set between 1837 and 1901). Also, the
costumes were too brilliant for words!
There was the biggest crowd any one had ever seen in North Hinksey.
Many children loved performing the enjoyable musical. The best bits were
the funny parts, Dicken (the orphanage's helper) was very funny.
Isabella, Year 4
Botley W.I.
Our next meeting will be on 2 May 2017, when Julia Mile will speak about
"Ragbags and Cocktails." Then on 9th May, the walking group will visit
the Bluebell wood, Appleton – meet at Botley WI hall. The crafts group
will learn how to make a "twiddle muff" (good for helping people with
dementia) on 16th May. We will be taking a coach to visit Exbury Gardens
on 23rd May. New members always welcome.
Alison Jenner
Milestones in North Hinksey Village
Congratulations to Betty Lawes on reaching her centenary, for which she
received a card from the Queen. A card was also sent from the Royal
Household to Derek and Gloria Walker on the occasion of their Diamond
Wedding, but sadly Mr Walker died in Spain, aged 86, over the Easter
weekend. His funeral will be held at the Crematorium on 5th May.
Chris Sugden
Thinking of going back to work?
There’s a free WEA course for those wanting to return to work or change
career, starting on Tuesday16th May for 4 weeks It runs from 12.15 to
2.45 at Dean Court Community Centre. Book directly with the WEA but
there is also information about it on the Botley Bridges website
Oxfordshire County Council elections on Thursday 4th May
(a timely reminder from the county council)
Oxfordshire County Council provides many of the important services in
your community, such as Fire and Rescue, looking after vulnerable
children and adults, libraries, roads, waste disposal, school nurses and
tackling rogue traders, to name just a few.
The county council elections on Thursday 4 May are your opportunity to
directly influence how these services are run in your area.
The councillor elected in your area will be representing you and your
community, taking important decisions that affect where you live. They
will also be the person you get in touch with if you want to improve
services over the next few years.
You can find the full list of candidates standing in your area and your
nearest polling station at www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/elections
The elections take place on Thursday 4 May from 7.00am to 10 pm at the
Seacourt Hall. . The election count takes place on Friday, May 5 in
Abingdon. Don’t forget to vote, and remind your family to do the same.
Allotments available
North Hinksey Parish Council has
allotments of varying sizes
available now, not quite too late for
a full summer of productive
horticulture. Sizes range from 3
poles (pretty small) to 10 poles (full
size). Always wanted somewhere
to spend a peaceful hour between
work and home? Always wanted to
grow your own vegetables? Always
wanted a shed to hide in, safe from
the demands of the internet? This could be your moment. Get in touch
with the Parish Clerk via the NHPC website to find out what might be
possible. Unconfident but willing gardeners who don’t want to start on a
whole plot can be paired up with existing tenants who would like to share.
Organizations: If your organization is not listed here, please send details
to editor@thesprout.org.uk or telephone 724452 for inclusion in future
issues. telephone 724452 for inclusion in future issues.
1st Botley Brownies
Girls aged 7–10
2nd Botley Brownies
Girls aged 7–10
4th Oxford Scout Group
Beavers, Cub Scouts, Scouts
15th Oxford Scout Group
Boys and girls welcome
Badminton Club
Books on Wheels R.V.S.
Botley Baby & Toddler
Group
Botley Boys & Girls F.C.
Football teams from ages 8-16
Botley Health Walks
Botley Library
Botley Singers
Chair-based Exercise Class
Cumnor Choral Society
Cumnor Chess Club
Cumnor & District Historical
Society
Cumnor Gardening Club
Fit Steps – exercise based
on dance
Harmony InSpires, Ladies'
Acappella Singing Group
Hill End Volunteer Team
Let’s Sing! – singing group
Morris Dancing – Cry Havoc
Mum and Baby Yoga for
babies from 6 wks to crawling
N Hinksey after school club
N Hinksey Art Group
N Hinksey Bellringers
N Hinksey Conservation
Volunteers
N Hinksey, Friends of
N Hinksey Horticultural
Society
N Hinksey Parish Council
N Hinksey Youth Club
Over Sixties Lunch Club
Oxford Flood Alliance
Oxford Flower
Arrangement Club
Oxford Otters
Oxford Rugby Club
Oxford Sports Lawn Tennis
Club, N Hinksey
Parkinson’s Disease Soc
Raleigh Park, Friends of
Royal Voluntary Service
(West Way Day Centre)
Saturdads
Elms Rd Children's Centre
Shotokan Karate club
Weight Watchers
West Oxford Bowls Club
West Oxford Taekwon Do
Club
West Oxford U3A
Which Craft?
Women’s Institute (Botley)